


Arc of Deliverance

by Siraun



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alpha James Potter, Alpha Lucius Malfoy, Alpha Remus Lupin, Alpha Sirius Black, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Animagus Bestiality, Beta Lily Evan, Bipolar Disorder, Bottom Severus Snape, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M, Marauders' Era, Omega Severus Snape, Patronus Soul Bonds, Pseudo-Incest, Rimming, Subjugation, The Black's Madness, Veela Mates, Werewolf Mates, soul marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2019-11-14 06:18:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18047144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siraun/pseuds/Siraun
Summary: "Out of the frying pan into the fire" or so the muggle proverb goes!  Severus doesn't know that he's leaving one hell to go into another.  He only seeks a sanctuary far away from his unstable life at home, but in doing so, he's become exposed to torment of a whole other level, aka the marauders...et al.





	1. Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer/warning: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. And the contents of this fanfic ARE NOT intended to promote any kind of bullying, violence, and/or physical, mental, or sexual abuse! Read at your own risk!
> 
> A/N: FYI, I will be using whatever present year the marauders are in to denote the passage of time in the story, for instance, "First-year Marauders" or "Marauders' First Year" and so onwards, so you can keep track of the plot and timeline more easily.
> 
> BTW: The Fanfic starts off with Severus Snape as an eight-year-old child, but as time progresses, so does his age! At the end of his seventh year (or the Marauders' Seventh Year) he will become fifteen (15) years old, whereas his peers will become age eighteen (18). I do plan on continuing until he becomes an adult of legal consenting age in muggle England, which is at least sixteen (16) years old (Post-Hogwarts Marauders' Era) and that's where the story will get even more exciting!
> 
> And of course, the settings of the fanfic are muggle/wizarding England and applicable places in the rest of Europe!
> 
> Read and enjoy!!

**_Timeline:  Marauders' First Year_ **

**_(Early September 1971)_ **

 

At the very tender age of eight, Severus Snape couldn't wait any longer to find his sanctuary in _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_. He'd learned everything he possibly could through the stories his young, fragile mother would tell him regarding her many adventures at the renown wizarding school. Although he was still quite young and couldn't fully understand everything she'd say to him, he'd memorized every word that would leave her thin, trembling lips. She was much paler now than he remembered her being four years ago, which was around the time his father started acting strangely toward both him and his mother.

Young Severus just couldn't understand the reason for it at all. But he was much happier now that he would be away from his father; although, he didn't quite feel the same way towards his mother. He didn't want to leave her behind, but he didn't want to remain tormented in their home either. And his mother knew of his conflicting feelings, which was why she'd requested of the headmaster of Hogwarts a great favor for her only son's safety away from their toxic home.

Thus, here little Severus was on Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station, clinging to the pale, thin leg of his frail-looking mother, as he eagerly awaited the arrival of the Hogwarts Express Train. Besides him, a young fiery-haired girl, three years older than him, grasped his free hand as she smiled brightly at him. Her name was Lily Evans, and she was his only friend in the world.

"Ready Sev?" the fiery-head girl called as she watched the train zoomed into its tracks. He didn't know how he'd managed to, but he gave her a confident nod and hugged his mother's leg tightly before racing forward with Lily Evans' slightly bigger hand in his to the entrance of the train. He felt as if he'd waited for this moment his entire life.

Upon boarding the train together, they searched for a compartment with enough room for two, but they were running out of luck fast as all the compartments were filling up with loud, chattering students, both older and younger alike. Just when they were about to lose hope, they stumbled upon an empty compartment big enough for them. And so, they settled there with their luggage, ready to embark on their journey.

Around him, Severus could hear the excited discussions of his peers about how they hope to start the new academic year or what clubs, activities, social events they hoped to be a part of this fall. But both he and Lily were quite content with simply enjoying whatever peace and quiet they could finesse for themselves for the time being. Severus retrieved one of his mother's old potions texts from his belongings, spread it opened on his clothed thighs and immersed his quick mind in the thick volume. On the other hand, Lily found herself staring out the window at the beautiful, passing sceneries she'd always wondered about. And every now and then, she'd ask Severus questions, which he would gladly answer with ease.

It wasn't long after when the door of their small compartment slid open and two young, sheepish-looking lads poked their heads through, asking if it was okay to join them, as theirs seemed to be the only available compartment. Immersed in his reading, Severus hardly paid them any mind. But young Lily was glad for new friends, so she welcomed them both into the soon-to-be crowded compartment. The two boys sat directly across from them. The brunet with hazel orbs sat facing Lily, while the raven with smoky-grey orbs situated himself directly in front of Severus, who was now occupied by reading the marginal notes written by his mother.

"Hey there, I'm Sirius Black," the raven was the first to introduce himself, looking at both Lily and Severus. "And this is my best mate, James Potter," he threw a slender arm around the brunet's shoulder for reference with a cheeky grin plastered on his handsome face. "And you are?" James Potter finished for him, looking pointedly across from himself at the fiery-haired, emerald-eyed girl. He noticed the girl was slightly blushing as she tried to look him in the eyes, all the while inching closer towards the comfort of her dearest friend. Right then and there, James felt a slight flutter in his heart at the sight of the pair of them huddled together. But he couldn't quite grasp what he was feeling at that exact moment, nor did he try to analyze it.

"I'm Lily…Lily Evans," the slightly taller girl answered, her small hand reaching over to intertwine with Severus' even smaller one as she introduced her best friend as well, "And he's Severus Snape." When the slightly, long-haired raven still didn't look up from reading his mother's old potion book at the mention of his name, Sirius Black with audacity only he could manage, reached forward and slammed the cover of the volume shut. Well, that had immediately garnered the other raven's full, undivided attention. Staring nonchalantly into the heated, glaring obsidian abyss of Severus Snape's dark, pitch-black gaze, Sirius graced him with the most impish smile he could muster, all the while demanding, "What are you reading, mate?"

"Not that it's any of your business," the younger raven was quick to retaliate, his thin rosy lips pulling back to sneer at the older raven, "But I  ** _was_**  reading before you so kindly interrupted me. And do refrain from addressing me as  _mate,_ as we are not friends." Black seemed slightly taken back for a moment at the sheer animosity on the smaller boy's delicate face, but it was only a momentary relapse before he reverted to his sheepish, mischievous nature with ease. Without a doubt, Sirius could already feel that his upcoming years at Hogwarts would be fascinating judging from the other's reactions to him. But he just didn't know how fascinating. Yet, he was all too willing to find out at the earliest opportunity.

Besides him, James Potter was too busy snickering at his best mate's childish antics to take any notice of the dark obsidian abyss glaring at him now. At least, he was until Sirius grasped a handful of his shoulder to divert his attention to the hostile boy across from them. And when he came face to face with the smaller boy, James felt a small thrill of cruelty and excitement crawled up his spine. And so, with the most charming, charismatic smile he'd ever fostered in his life, he chose that very moment to properly reintroduce himself, "Pleasure meeting you, I'm James Potter." He didn't even wait for the younger boy's response, whatever it was before he reintroduced his companion as well, "And he's my best mate, Sirius Black."

Young Severus couldn't have cared any less for the two blundering dunderheads in front of him and his facial expression relayed exactly how he felt. He wasn't impressed or even interested in what they had to say. He couldn't be bothered with their ideas of friendship either. He already had the only friend he'd ever want, Lily Evans. And so, Severus chose to ignore them as he was doing before the idiot Black so rudely interrupted him.

Seeing as both of them were blatantly ignored, James and Sirius turned their attention to the pretty fiery-haired girl, asking in unison, "What's with him?" Lily merely giggled at the two boys before stating, "He's just being Sev. He isn't usually this much of a sourpuss, though." At the mention of his nickname and at being called a sourpuss by none other than his own best friend, he scowled her, not even looking up from his mother's old book. He was somewhat glad to be left alone, but somehow, he felt a bit betrayed that his only friend was making new friends. Nonetheless, he kept to himself as the three of them chattered animatedly amongst themselves.

"So,  _Potter…Black_." Lily enunciated each of their family names, looking from the hazel-eyed brunet to the smoky-eyed raven, a nervous flutter rising in her heart. She didn't feel quite comfortable yet addressing them by their first names. Worrying her lower lip in her nervousness, she asked them, "Will this be your first year at Hogwarts?" She was surprised when an ecstatic Potter answered her instead of the more eager, laidback Black, "Yes, it is! And what of yourself, Evans?" Of course, she'd answered for both herself and her best friend, "So are we, this will be our first year at Hogwarts. Sev has been waiting for this moment all his life!"

Lily was a little bit taken back when they both asked her in unison, "Is that so?" Somehow, she missed the slightly dark gleam in both of their eyes when she nodded her affirmative; instead, she was more focused on how they could pass off as brothers, if not a pair of fraternal twins. She could've sworn that they were related by blood, they looked so much alike.

"Do you know yet which of the four houses you'd preferred to be sorted into?" Potter asked the slightly taller girl. Lily nodded eagerly as she responded, "I don't particularly have a preference, but I'd quite enjoy being sorted into the same house as Sev." Both boys looked on in concealed interest as the beautiful fiery-haired, emerald-eyed girl leaned in closer to the smaller raven's side as if trying to give him her protection and comfort. They almost smiled in awe at the display of affection and was surprised when the younger boy only continued reading, his attention undivided. It was a pleasant sight. Though, for some unknown reasons, they both felt something akin to frightful jealousy at their closeness.

"And do you know which house he would like to be sorted into?" It was Sirius Black who had posed the question, as they'd both expectantly awaited the girl's answer. "Yes, Sev would definitely want to be a part of the same house as his mother, the House of Slytherin." Lily Evans stated matter-of-factly. Of course, she would know this much about her dear, best friend; or else, what kind of a best friend would she, herself, be?

Both James and Sirius, on the other hand, openly gaped at the young girl's no-nonsense response at a loss for words. They were both flabbergasted as to why any  _sane_  human being would want to be sorted into Slytherin. Because to their knowledge, the House of Slytherin was teeming with overly zealous wizards, who were prone to conjuring the dark arts, which were forbidden in their wizarding society, especially since it spawned unnecessary evils. Thus, neither James nor Sirius could fathom why this dainty, fragile-looking creature – Severus Snape – would even  _consider_  being a part of a crowd such as the Slytherins of Hogwarts. It was beyond their understanding.

And so, Sirius being the first to recover from his temporary shocked state, lunged forward at the unsuspecting lad across from him, hissing through clenched teeth with newfound bitterness, "Why would you want to join the House of Slytherin? Don't you know they're full of evil, vile snakes and dark wizards?" He growled, grabbing a hold of the unsuspecting boy's throat, along with a fistful of his tattered, second-hand robe and hauling him up off his feet until he was dangling from the ground. Sirius was beyond irritated for some reason. He didn't know why Snape wanting to be a part of Slytherin even mattered to him. But he just couldn't see it in his mind's eye. Perhaps, he just refused to, and it pissed him off gravely. But at the same time, he felt a strong compulsion to try and dissuade the younger raven of his unwise preference, that's why he proclaimed, "I would know,  _Snape._  I live in a house full of snakes. That's why I want to be a Gryffindor!"

The older raven's actions and choice of words not only startled Severus, but they also aggravated him. He was beyond unimpressed with the raven's behavior. "You watch your mouth,  _Black._  Not that it's any concern of yours, but my mother was from Slytherin and she's neither a dark witch nor an evil, vile snake as you so say," Severus snapped, struggling against Black's steady hold of him by his collars. Severus didn't know what he did this early in his life to warrant such unnecessary behavior from either Potter or Black, nor did he see how his preference even concerned either of them. He'd be honored to become a part of his mother's house if given the opportunity.

 _"What is so good about being a cowardly lion anyway?"_ Severus demanded, gasping for breath as Black looked down at him shrewdly, but he didn't care. He never cared what other people thought of him. They were neither his mother nor Lily, so why should their opinions matter to him.

On the other hand, James Potter, having finally come out of his stupor, joined Evans in trying to separate his best mate from hers. She was busy shouting at Black and pulling on his arms to loosen his grip and let go of Severus, but he was immovable as a brick wall. The Black heir, however, reluctantly let go of the younger raven after James chastised him, but not before shoving Snape back onto his seat and hissing into his ears, "We'll soon find out who the real coward is, won't we?"

For the remaining duration on the Hogwarts Express, all four of them kept to themselves, except for Lily, who was desperately trying to soothe Severus' nerves as only she could. The younger raven was beyond agitated at the two imbeciles sitting opposite them, but he had no intentions, whatsoever, of abandoning their compartment, especially since he and Lily were here first. Hell would freeze over before he let them crawl further under his skin.

 


	2. The Sorting Hat Ceremony

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat bellowed and the young witches and wizards belonging to the House of Gryffindor cheered at the top of their lungs as they boisterously welcomed the smoky-eyed raven to their region of the Great Hall. The deputy headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, removed the Sorting Hat from atop the curled, disheveled, black strands of hair on Black's head as he casually jumped off the cushioned pedestal, sauntering off to join his new housemates, a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

Severus had to admit, he was a bit perplexed by the Sorting Hat's decision to place Black in Gryffindor of all places after he'd experienced firsthand the raven's violent behavior earlier on the Hogwarts Express. The hat was barely atop Black's head before it'd declared the raven a Gryffindor; the talking hat must have gone senile or something; why else would it have made such a  _grave_  mistake? Anyone with a pair of functioning eyes could see that Black was teetering on the brink of madness. He belonged in Slytherin. No questions asked.

Not to say that everyone belonging to the House of Slytherin were "evil, vile snakes" as Black had 'kindly' put it. Eileen Snape was a Slytherin; she was also a good mother to Severus and though she enjoyed learning about the dark arts, she was no dark witch herself. Anyway, he was just glad that Black wouldn't be in the same house as him, assuming the talking hat wouldn't misplace him as it did with Black. He would demand to be resorted if he was sorted into a house other than his mother's.

And so, Severus watched with little to no interest as the Sorting Hat ceremony carried on and Professor McGonagall called out the names of the students awaiting their turn to be sorted. Other than himself, he was waiting for one other person's name; Lily Evans. He was especially curious as to where the fiery-haired girl would be placed, and he'd only hope it would be with him; otherwise, he feared their friendship might come under strain. And he really didn't want that to happen to them, even if he'd only known Lily for a small period of his life. They'd met shortly after he'd become six years of age and he could honestly say their friendship was the best gift he could've ever hope for; it was a blessing really.

Anyway, he knew he wouldn't have to wait too long to find out where Lily would be placed, considering they were being sorted alphabetically and her family name was usually the first of many to be called upon. His instincts were proven correct as the deputy headmistress removed the Sorting Hat from atop a young witch's head after her house was announced and she joined her new housemates.

 _"Lily Evans,"_  Professor McGonagall called and Lily gave Severus one of her nervous smiles before she gently squeezed his smaller hand and moved to the front of the dining hall where the Sorting Hat ceremony was taking place. Upon reaching there, she greeted the elder witch and sat down on the wooden stool as the magical hat was placed atop the long vibrant, silky-red locks of hair on her head. With her eyes pressed tightly, she prayed to be sorted into the same house as Severus's mother, as she knew that where her best friend wanted to be placed.

However, before she could even spare another thought, the old hat declared, "GRYFFINDOR!" and Lily's whole body stiffened for a moment as her heart rate sped up and her mind raced to catch up with her body. With her head slightly cast down and a small frown on her pretty lips, Lily stood up from the wooden stool, promptly thanked Professor McGonagall, and walked in the direction of her fellow Gryffindors who were cheering their warm welcome of her. Somehow, she felt she'd let Severus down, she couldn't even look him in the eyes as she passed him on her way to join her new housemates.

Although Severus was feeling a bit betrayed that Lily wasn't sorted into the house that he, himself, hoped to become a part of, he tried to salvage the situation. Lily was still his best friend and he was sure that the older girl would have tried to convince the sorting hat had she had more time before the hat's swift decision to place her in the House of Gryffindor. As young as he was, he was most certain of his and Lily's friendship. Even if the fiery-haired girl couldn't look him in the eyes right now, she was still his best friend.

Severus could only hope that the house rivalry at Hogwarts, which was renowned among those of the wizarding world, wouldn't cause them to drift too far apart from each other; he didn't know if he would be able to bear losing Lily's friendship. Thus, he decided he would do everything in his power to remain by his best friend's side. And even if their friendship was to come under any kind of pressure, he would try his best to rectify it before it crumbled.

Recovering a bit from his state of brooding, Severus soon realized he'd zoned out halfway through the Sorting Hat ceremony thinking of Lily when the deputy headmistress called out the next student's name, "Peter Pettigrew" and a timid, round, mousy-looking lad stumbled up to the front of the Great Hall. After greeting the professor meekly, he sat on the wooden stool as the Sorting Hat was placed atop the light-brown tendrils of hair on his head. Unlike the previous young witches and wizards called before him, however, the hat seemed to struggle with its decision of where exactly to place Pettigrew.

After about five minutes of indecisiveness, Severus thought for sure the hat had indeed gone senile. After all, this should've been an easy placement, as there seemed to be nothing courageous about the meek, cowering boy. Severus could sense that there was something off about this boy. Although he couldn't quite put a finger on it, there was something peculiar about the mousy-looking lad that turned on all the alarms in his body and he'd only hoped that the boy wouldn't be placed in Slytherin with him. Thus, it was a great relief to Severus when the Sorting Hat announced a decisive "Gryffindor." However, it would've been an even greater relief to him if the boy had been sorted into either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw; far away from his dear Lily.

* * *

 _"Fancy seeing you here, Evans"_  Sirius Black murmured to the fiery-haired girl as she'd come to sit across from him due to a limited vacancy at the dining table, "I'd thought for certain you'd be sorted into Slytherin along with that vile, little snake of yours." Black was grinning from ear to ear as he continued to berate her best friend to her face, "What happened? Had a change of heart or did you finally come to your senses about that vicious cretin you call friend?" Lily was quick to defend her best friend from any further insults from the Black heir.

And so, with her teeth gritted and a fierce glower in her vibrant green eyes, she readily snapped at him, "Watch your mouth, Black, Severus is none of those things! And you would know that too if you took the time to get to know him instead of constantly antagonizing him every chance you get." Lily huffed and puffed, her cheeks becoming visibly red with anger as she continued to scold Black under her breath, "For goodness' sake, it hasn't even been our first full day yet at Hogwarts and here you are already making him out to be the enemy." Of course, everything she said to him went in one ear and out through the other.

"Who would ever want to become friends with that slimy git, no offense to you, Evans," Black interrupted her angry rant, an incredulous look on his face as he let his mouth run away with his words before she could continue to bleed his ears, "Much less, you expect me to take precious time out of my social life to become personally acquainted with that venomous, little serpent of yours?" Black paused for a second, a predatory smile tugging at his lips as a malicious idea came to him, "Actually, that's a rather brilliant idea, Evans if I do say so myself. I think I'd like very much to 'get to know' the little shite."

Lily Evans was fuming on the inside at the raven's dark, impetuous nature as she chided him, _hissing,_ "Don't you dare call him that, _Black_ , he has a nam-." But before she could continue her vehement ranting, a round mousy-looking lad interrupted their little skirmish. Both Black and Evans turned their attention to the newcomer; Black with a dark eyebrow arched perfectly and Lily with her frown turning slightly upside down. She really needed a distraction from the raven-haired dunderhead.

"May I sit here?" he asked Lily timidly, looking directly at the empty space beside her. Although he noticed there was a vacant seat to the raven's right, it seemed reserved for someone else and the seat to his left was already occupied by a blond, greenish gray-eyed Gryffindor with a kind, albeit wolfish smile on his face. And so, he favored the seat beside the fiery-haired girl because not only was it the closest seat to him, but she also seemed the least intimidating of them. Thus, giving the newcomer a small, uncertain smile, Lily nodded her assent and scooted over a little to the side to leave ample room in-between them.

The short, round boy took a seat beside her and introduced himself, "I'm Peter Pettigrew, nice to meet you." He looked shyly from the two boys to the girl, a nervous smile appearing on his face as he fiddled with his pale, chubby fingers. Lily was the first to introduce herself to the boy followed by a nonchalant Black and the blond, who announced himself as "Remus Lupin." At their introductions, the boy seemed to relax a little since he wasn't completely ignored by his peers. Discarding their previous conversation regarding a certain long-haired, charcoal-eyed boy for the time being, both Black and Evans returned their attention to the Sorting Hat ceremony. And as soon as they did, the name  _"James Potter"_  echoed throughout the Great Hall.

Sirius grinned eagerly, excitedly; he'd been waiting impatiently for Professor McGonagall to call upon his best mate since he, himself, was sorted into Gryffindor. And now that James Potter was sitting atop the cushioned pedestal with the Sorting Hat placed atop the wild, unruly, auburn strands of hair on his head, he knew for certain that his best mate, too, would be sorted into Gryffindor. He was a Potter, after all. The suspense, however, was killing him! What exactly was taking the bloody hat so goddamn long to decide the fate of a Potter; especially James Potter, who was nothing short of being a valiant, courageous, wild-spirited daredevil. He was pretty much the epitome of a Gryffindor.

Sirius was growing even more restless as the seconds ticked by and not a sound left the orifice that was the mad hat's mouth. Nonetheless, he never doubted for a moment that James would be sorted into any other house than his own. He just knew they were destined to become Gryffindors together at Hogwarts!

* * *

 

'Oh my, it's a Potter,' the Sorting Hat murmured in James' mind, sounding absolutely delighted, 'Why, it's been over two decades now since I've last laid upon the head of a young Potter. They're very few in numbers, unlike the Weasleys.' James chuckled a bit upon hearing the sheer displeasure in the Sorting Hat's voice at the mention of the Weasleys, who he'd learned multiplied as if they were a dying breed on the brink of extinction.

 _'Hhm…now let's see here, where exactly I shall place you, James Potter,'_  the hat deliberated, and James was a bit impressed that it knew his name. The hat chortled gleefully at his naivety as it continued speaking for his ears only,  _'It occurs to me that you are just as brave of heart and courageous as you are clever, loyal, and intelligent. But you are also quite cunning and ambitious at your age, aren't you young James Potter? I believe that of the four houses at Hogwarts, the House of Slytherin would best suit you.'_

 _'N-No, I don't belong there! Put me in Gryffindor! I want to be a Gryffindor like my father,'_  James insisted urgently with the Sorting Hat, his eyelids pressing into themselves tightly and his jaw clenching in apprehension, 'Besides, you have to put me in Gryffindor, otherwise, Sirius will never let me live this down.' The Sorting Hat snickered at his predicament and he could literally feel its happy vibrations on his head. When it seemed to calm down from its excitement, the magical hat proclaimed _, 'Ah yes, the Black heir. He's something else entirely, that one. But there's still hope for him.'_

James was a bit perplexed at the Sorting Hat's odd statement but didn't overthink it. He wasn't one to overthink every little thing. Instead, he was on the verge of making a very compelling argument as to why Gryffindor suited him best when the mad hat interrupted his thoughts, 'Very well _, James Potter._  I'll have you know while my intuitions are never wrong, and I reckon Slytherin suits your best interests…I suppose I can make an exception for you.' James felt a weight lift off his chest at the mad hat's words and waited eagerly for its declaration.

 _"GRYFFINDOR!"_  the Sorting Hat barked, and James Potter heaved a sigh of relief at its final decision. He had to admit, he was a bit worried there, he really didn't want to be sorted into any of the other houses, especially the House of Slytherin. He wanted to be in the same house his father and forefathers had been a part of before him; or as his father would proclaim proudly, the house where "dwelled the brave at heart, with their daring, nerve, and chivalry."

At his young age, while James might be recklessly daring and spoiled rotten, he really did try his best not to disappoint or dishonor his family, who meant the world to him. Thus, it was his sole desire to follow in his father's footsteps and become a student of the House of Gryffindor; and now that he was a Gryffindor, he couldn't wait to write to his parents about his good fortune. But right now, he needed to go celebrate with his best mate. They were both officially housemates now and all they had left on their agenda was to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team!

James immediately leaped off the wooden stool as the deputy headmistress removed the Sorting Hat from atop his dark, shortened, wildly tousled mop of hair and eagerly surveilled the mass of Gryffindor students for a particular smoky-eyed raven. Upon sighting the raven in question, he sauntered over to the table where the raven sat surrounded by several other students. He instantly recognized the fiery-haired beauty seated across Sirius from the train earlier during the day and a wide, ecstatic smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he approached the long, crowded dining table.

Barely a foot away, Sirius jumped up from his position at the table and threw an arm around James' shoulder in welcome, exclaiming to him, "We made it, mate!" James pulled him in for a tight, momentary embrace as he, too, professed his excitement. They were both thrilled for the start of the school term and couldn't wait to play Quidditch and pull pranks together; after all, they were partners in crime.

Once settled in-between Sirius and a blond-haired boy at the rather crowded Gryffindor table, James grinned at the fiery-haired girl who he was purposely sitting across from. He'd taken quite a liking to her since first meeting her on the Hogwarts Express this morning. However, he couldn't say he felt the same regarding her dear best friend. He wasn't especially fond of the other's presence after the prat had not only managed to provoke Sirius but him as well.

James didn't particularly know what it was about the black-haired boy that unnerved them both, but it seemed all it took to get under their skin was a simple glare in their general direction and they were itching to goad him into submission. Not to mention, between Sirius and himself, usually he was the least likely to become riled up over the smallest of things. But he was genuinely surprised when he found that Snape could provoke him just as easily. His blood boiled just thinking about it. It was barely their first night at Hogwarts and here they were antagonizing each other already. He just knew their newfound enmity couldn't bode well for the rest of their school years at the wizarding school.

However, just because he wasn't on the friendliest of terms with the black-haired imp didn't necessarily mean he couldn't befriend the lovely Lily Evans either. And as far as he knew, the friendship between Snape and Evans wasn't on par with the muggle proverb "can't have one without the other" like his friendship was with Sirius; but even if it was, it wouldn't be for much longer, not if he had anything to do with it.

From his observation of the fiery-haired girl, he could tell just by the way her face flushed lightly every time he was within range of her or by how she couldn't quite look him in the eyes when they together that perhaps she mightn't despise him as much as he first anticipated. Perhaps, they'd merely gotten off on the wrong foot and he'd be able to set things right with her. Thus, it seemed there was still a possibility that he might have a chance at becoming her friend if he didn't screw things up; especially now that they were both students of the House of Gryffindor.

Thus, with this new growing hope and perception of life, James smiled brightly at the fiery-haired girl, clearly taking delight in her self-consciousness. He was eager to have a normal conversation with her without the younger raven around to interfere. But just before he could open his mouth to begin speaking to the girl of his interest, he heard the deputy headmistress' voice echoing "Severus Snape" loudly throughout the Great Hall, successfully dispersing his train of thoughts and any palpable words following it. Somehow, he found himself shifting his attentive gaze from the fiery-haired girl sitting in front of him to the summoned raven slithering to the front of the Dining Hall where Professor McGonagall stood patiently awaiting him.

James looked on in concealed interest as the shorter raven struggled with himself to sit atop the cushioned pedestal; he was clearly at a disadvantage due to his smaller stature compared to the rest of his peers. James also noticed that the raven appeared much younger in age than the rest of the first years, but that couldn't be right. For as far as he knew, the young witches and wizards of Hogwarts only ever received their letters of invitation the year they would become eleven years of age. And so, he figured the little snake had to be their age despite his diminutive form.

Nonetheless, Severus Snape was quite a sight to behold as the Deputy Headmistress raised her wand-hand and cast the _Locomotor Charm (Used to lift an object or person off the ground and move the target in any direction the caster wants)_ with a quick flick of her wrist, successfully lifting the dwarf smoothly off his feet and settling him atop the wooden stool, with the Sorting Hat coming to lay atop his raven head shortly thereafter.

James heard a quiet snicker come from his right and turned to see his best mate with an almost sinister, gleeful look on his face as he failed miserably at hiding his sheer delight at the other raven's expense. The rest of the student body wasn't any better off either, for most of them laughed and/or whispered animatedly amongst themselves.

Lily Evans, however, was of another story altogether, as she glared heatedly at the two boys in front of her; but especially at the Black heir, who dared to ridicule her best friend to her face, "I'll wager the only place for a git like Snape would be with the rest of the venomous snakes in Slytherin, what do you say James?" Both he and Sirius exchanged a smug, knowing look before he nodded, conceding with his best mate, "I couldn't agree more."

Neither Black nor Potter faltered at the withering glare Evans bestowed upon them at their exchange. Instead, their mischievous gazes only sought the smaller raven at the front of the Dining Hall, patiently awaiting his life sentence.

 


	3. A Heartman's Deal

The following morning, eight-year-old Severus Snape wakes up to find himself exactly where he wants to be; within his mother's house, the House of Salazar Slytherin. Though he must admit it isn’t without much effort on his behalf. It has taken  _everything_  within his being to try and convince the Sorting Hat that Slytherin is where he truly belongs.  Still, the mad hat has its very own ideas and even attempts to place him elsewhere, claiming that with his brave-hearted and loyal nature coupled with his love for knowledge and discovering the truth, he’s more than well-suited for either house of _Godric Gryffindor_ or _Rowena Ravenclaw._ But young Severus would have none of it and holds on strongly to his own beliefs; one could even say he has _willed it_  to be as it should. Because it is only with great reluctance that the Sorting Hat finally concedes and grants him his wish. 

Thus, it isn’t very surprising to find a rather  _pleased_  Severus Snape this early in the morning, huddling up within the warm bundles of silken green and silver quilts of his new bed. After the Sorting Hat declares him a  _Slytherin_  last evening, sheer joy overwhelms the young raven that he couldn't fall asleep last night from the excitement alone. Instead, he spends most of the night  _daydreaming_  about all the wonderful adventures and great memories he would share together with Lily in their newfound sanctuary at the wizarding school.

Moreover, Severus couldn't wait to write to his dearest mother about his good fortune; he knows this accomplishment would make her even more proud of him than she already is. And so, he’s more than pleased with himself. He’s ecstatic even! Though, given his usual calm and composed nature, one could hardly tell he acts any differently to his normally quiet self. Yet, he’s elated nonetheless and could barely contain his enthusiasm, especially now that he’s finally safe and _far, far, far away_  from his father's rather unpredictable behavior and their toxic homelife at Spinner's End in Cokeworth.

Severus truly dreads having to return home during the school breaks from Hogwarts. But at the same time, he knows over the school breaks are the only times he would get to see his mother while studying at Hogwarts. Besides, he honestly feels it’s worth the sacrifice. Furthermore, he already misses her terribly and feels anguished at having to leave her alone with his father. But as things are, their circumstances cannot be helped, especially since she refuses to leave Tobias' side.

However, seeing as the nearest school break where students have the option of going home is months away, Severus deems it best to stay focused on his studies and enjoy his stay at Hogwarts while he could. After all, it is the beginning of a new chapter in his life and he really wants to make the best of it. Thus, it is with this newfound determination that he decides to crawl out of bed to get an early head-start on his very first day of classes. After getting ready, Severus intends on checking out the school's library after finishing breakfast in the Great Hall.

Although he isn’t too hungry, Severus knows it would do him well if he has a little breakfast to begin his day. Especially since he is sure he'll find himself back in the library during his lunch break. As for his classes today, he has first-period  _History of Magic,_ followed bya double period of _Potions_ , and lunch at noon. Afterward, he has _Transfiguration_ , a period of self-study, and double _Charms_ to end his first day of classes. He is rather excited for them; especially for potions and charms, since those are the subjects that both his _mother and father_ would teach him throughout his earlier years of childhood.

 _Back then, the father Severus remembers is a rather kind and doting one,_ who always loves and looks upon his only child  _– Severus Snape –_  as a blessing. The  _Tobias Snape_  he recalls –  _from before he was five years old –_ always commends him on his diligence and efforts. In his earlier years, Severus recalls being prone to accidental magic and his father would take up the habit of teaching his only son how to channel and control his magic.  His mother, too, thinks it’s never too early to pass on to her bright little boy her knowledge and skills of brewing potions. And whenever Severus successfully casts a charm or finishes brewing a potion to the tee, both his  _mother and father_  always shower him with endless love and praises. They hold him in high regard and always give him their undivided attention and support.  He’s their apt pupil and dearest son; the brightest star in their impoverished life. Young Severus  _has_ the perfect family; parents who love each other dearly _,_  and  _they_  – in turn –  _love him unconditionally._

However, it’s only shortly before his fifth birthday when  _the then four-year-old_  Severus notices that his ever  _kind and doting_  father gradually starts acting strangely towards his beloved mother – at first, and then him.  It’s only small and trivial matters. And though his keen senses can pick put on these subtle changes, young Severus could never really wrap his little head around what exactly was  _wrong_. First, he notices how the rich evergreen of his beloved father's eyes becomes a solemn gray. Severus only thinks that it’s strange, _and perhaps that he’s only just noticing the true hue of his father's gray orbs._  

But he notices something even stranger from time to time, those gray spheres become overwhelmed by a flicker of confusion before his father would quickly  _become his self again._   There are also times when Severus notices that his father would become reluctant in sharing simple skin-ship with  _both him and his mother_ ; whether it’s a simple brush of the hands, kissing on the cheek, or embracing each other which is a commonality in their home. Again, these are only brief, momentary relapses but Severus starts becoming more aware of them as their occurrence increases over time.

Moreover, Severus could tell that even his mother, too, has started noticing these subtle changes within her husband, for she seems slightly distressed and worried over his wellbeing.  However, since these irregularities are _irregular and few at best,_ the three of them continue to carry on with their family life as usual, albeit with little disturbances; but small disagreements are always prone to happen in any family.  Thus, young Severus proceeds with life as best as he could,  _adapting to his father's recent oddity._  He knows his father still  _loves_  his mother, he could tell; and it’s with their profound _love_  that  _they continue loving him_.  And so, Tobias continues teaching his only son how to properly channel and control his excessive magic and Eileen passes on knowledge of her exceptional brewing skills to him.  Being an eager little sponge, Severus absorbs everything they teach him. Without a doubt, he’s an avid learner and his parents take great delight in instilling in him all they could.

Unfortunately, Severus' happy family life is short-lived. For some time following his seventh birthday, his father wakes up one day and something within him just  _snap;_ Tobias has _a revelation_.  By now, Severus is used to seeing the momentary flickers of confusion within his father's gray orbs, but it never lasts too long. But that morning, the dazed look in his eyes remains a part of his father's expression longer than he’s comfortable with and Severus finds himself terrified for the first time in his life.

He’s terrified of losing his beloved father's love and affection. He’s terrified of his small but happy family falling dreadfully apart. He’s terrified because the look of confusion grows into something even more unfamiliar;  _denial._   He sees denial in his father's face and it’s then that he realizes there’s something  _most definitely wrong with Tobias Snape._  Somehow, seven-year-old Severus knows that the man in front of him is no more his father than he, himself, is a stranger to the man.

And even now, eight-year-old Severus remains terrified of his father, but for many different reasons than before. Tobias Snape is _no longer the kind and doting father_ Severus once remembers him being. Instead, he’s a stranger living in his own home with a wife and child, both he claims no responsibility for but is stuck with for the rest of his life.  Over the last year and a half, Tobias has made his denial and displeasure of both his wife and son clear. And both Eileen and Severus are forced to tremble in fear and walk on eggshells when they are in his presence. Needless to say, Severus remains terrified of his father, who would sometimes resort to violent acts against his mother whenever small disagreements in their toxic home erupt.

But more than terrified, Severus soon becomes resentful of his father. He grows resentful of his father day by day because Tobias would force him to do his dirty work and  _practice his magic_ on his mother. And if Severus ever refuses, Tobias would administer the penalty for _disobedience_ , which means that he, himself, would resume punishing Eileen for  _her own son's refusal_. And it’s always much worse when the wand is in Tobias' hand.

By the end of it all, an exhausted Severus would lay curled up and sniveling in a corner of his dingy, dark room with his face full of fresh streaming tears. In those dark times, he loathes his father the most. However, what fascinates young Severus the most is that no matter how terrible the situation,  _Tobias never physically assaults him. Neither does he use his wand directly against him._   _He never once lays a violent hand on him._ Instead, his father always seeks to harm him indirectly through his mother's suffering and grief. Perhaps, the man already knows that that’s the best way to hurt him both physically and mentally.

After all the pain and torment, Severus would plead with his mother to leave his father; _that man_  is no longer  _his father nor her husband_ , whom they love and cherish. Instead, he’s a beast in human flesh. But Eileen would hear none of it, claiming she loves him regardless. It’s then that Severus realizes that his mother's profound love for his father would be the death of them.

Still, Severus' resentment would soon turn to pure agony whenever a trace of  _his beloved father's former self_  resurfaces momentarily. And unsure of himself, he couldn't tell whether those brief momentary flickers of conflicted emotions are real. For all he knows, the conflicted pain and anguish look within his father's gray-green orbs are a mere figment of his imagination.  But along with the agony, comes inexplicable disgust because Severus knows it’s only his  _fragile_ emotions pulling at his heartstrings.  _And he needs to be strong dammit!_  That's why he needs to be a Slytherin like his mother. Where it matters, she’s the smartest and bravest witch he's ever known. And he wants to make her proud. He wants to  _free_  them of his father's clutches.  _He wants…_

_"You're up rather early mate."_

Severus startles at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, immediately blinking away fatigue from his weary eyes.  It seems he’s lost in his memories yet again.  He knows that this isn’t a good sign and that he needs to stay focus on his studies if he’s ever going to find a way to reclaim their  _– both his mother's and his own–_  freedom from his estranged father. It’s too early for this  _– for these thoughts,_  which are always plaguing his mind.  Thus, regaining awareness of his surroundings, Severus abruptly turns to face the source of the voice, only to find that all three of his roommates are already wide-awake and scrutinizing his every move as they lay lounging casually atop their own respective four-poster beds.


	4. The Black's Madness

_"You're up rather early mate."_

_Severus startles at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, immediately blinking away fatigue from his weary eyes.  It seems he’s lost in his memories yet again.  He knows that_  this _isn’t a good sign and that he needs to stay focus on his studies if he’s ever going to find a way to reclaim_  their – both his mother's and his own–  _freedom from his estranged father. It’s too early for_  this – for these thoughts, _which are always plaguing his mind.  Thus, regaining awareness of his surrounding, Severus abruptly turns to face the source of the voice, only to find that all three of his roommates are already wide-awake and scrutinizing his every move as they lay lounging casually atop their own respective four-poster beds._

Severus finds himself taken aback that he’s barely out of bed at this point, he must have lost track of time.  He really must get ready for breakfast soon if he wants to make it to the library before classes start.  He gets ready to moves in the direction of their shared bathroom but stops abruptly to regard his three roommates with groggy eyes.  His dark, pitch-black gaze falls upon them briefly, recalling their short meeting yesterday’s evening after their room assignment.  He recalls their posh, pompous attitude at the meeting, how they already seem familiar with each other’s company. 

Severus remembers feeling slightly jilted at this knowledge but doesn’t let it affect him too much, only he misses Lily thinking about it now.  _Anyway_ , he reminds himself _he isn’t here to make friends_ ; besides he hasn’t any need for anyone else’s company but _Lily._   At least, that’s what he keeps telling himself in the presence of his roommates.

Severus remembers the trio’s brief self-introductions; there’s _Emlyn Lucas Alexander Wilkes,_ the blond with stormy dark-gray eyes and his dearest cousin, _Alasdair Algernon Lorne Avery_ , another blond hair, only he has clear gray-blue eyes.  Then there’s their freckled, green-eyed, ginger-haired friend, _Ezra Jack Augustus Mulciber_.

Severus only remembers them by their long-winded, aristocratic names because that’s how they choose to introduce themselves – and well, his memory isn’t something to trifle with.  He couldn’t care less for their noble etiquettes or social status.  But he feels he owes it to his mother at the very least to behave like the thoroughly-bred half-blood _Prince_ he truly is; even if she, herself, is no longer apart of her family’s tree, it doesn’t mean he isn’t a potential heir and shouldn’t behave as someone of his station.

Thus, the eight-year-old Severus merely nods, acknowledging them and turns brusquely on his heels, retreating to their shared bathroom to get a head start on his first day.

* * *

If there is one thing _Sirius Orion Black III_ hasn’t yet realized about himself, it is the issue of his mental ailment.  It is not that he knows of it and is in denial.  The truth of the matter is simply just that he _, himself,_ isn’t yet aware of it.  But even if he comes to become aware of it, he couldn’t deny its existence, especially since he has learned from an early age during his childhood about the inevitable doom which befalls those born of the nigh incestuous Black bloodline; thus, any mental illness is simply inescapable within _the noble and most ancient house of Black_ – particularly the Black’s madness or insanity, which originates with the introduction of a pureblood Veela ancestor into the Black genepool. 

Herein lies the root of Sirius’ mental illness; he’s the great-great-great-grandson of the Veela progenitor, _Ella Max_ , the wife of _Cygnus Black I_ ; it’s purely by chance alone Sirius inherits her unrepressed Veela gene.  Usually, after _the third generation of Veela-Wizard hybrid offspring_ (respectively his paternal and maternal grandfathers, _Arcturus Black III and Pollux Black)_ , the Veela gene within their tainted bloodline subsides and becomes repressed by their more dominant pureblood wizarding genes – though some more expressive traits linger on as seen in Sirius’ mother, _Walburga Black_ – until a reintroduction of another Veela ancestor into their genepool. 

However, that isn’t always the case because even without a reintroduction, the original dormant gene can reawaken spontaneously by mere chance in later generations of the tainted bloodline given the right condition – such as a stringent affinity for dual magic and an equally strong magical core – in the early developmental stages of an embryo, as one can see with _Sirius Orion Black III_.

Furthermore, there are already small albeit telling signs alluding to the young Black heir’s mental illness – as revealed on the very first day on the Hogwarts Express when Sirius practically throws a raging fit trying to reason with an equally stubborn Severus Snape to come to his senses about his idolized view of the House of Slytherin.  That is only one instance wherein the symptoms of the Black’s madness plague him; but there are plenty of others, though neither as revealing nor as malignant as the earlier conflicts on the Hogwarts Express.

Instead, they show Sirius Black at his most energized, at his best and brightest self wherein he feels unstoppable, insanely mischievous like the world is at his feet and he’s a God to be worshipped, completely invincible!  And when he’s the center of attention, like he usually is, he feels the greatest amount of thrill, the undeniable rush of adrenaline pumping in his veins, fuels by the expressed Veela gene in his bloodstream.  In these moments the Black heir strives and breathes life into whichever room he stumbles in; he shines just as brightly as the star after which he’s named – _Sirius, the brightest star in the sky_.

There are dark times too, however, wherein the world comes crashing down around Sirius and he feels pathetically lethargic and void of emotions, but mostly empty, as if there’s a succubus draining the life essence out of him.  At times like these, he makes it his duty to lash out at any little thing that passes by; or mostly, he just sleeps his lack of energy away.  Fortunately for those around him, moments like these are few and rare, occurring only once every other fortnight.  And even then, he usually sleeps through them due strictly to exhaustion.

Furthermore, it is safe to say that _the eleven-year-old_ Black heir wouldn’t fully come into his Veela inheritance until he reaches maturity at age sixteen.  Instead, the telltale signs of bipolarism are the only evidence underlying Sirius’ mental illness as it is; though he isn’t yet aware of this disease either.  And whether he’ll accept this fact should it become known to him is unclear still, since he’s but a child and a rather unpredictably volatile one at that.  Despite his oftentimes unpredictable and volatile nature, he’s surprisingly caring, brave of heart, and loyal where it matters the most – characteristics which got him sorted immediately into the House of Gryffindor.  He’s especially grateful for the company of his best mate _, James Potter,_ and he can already sense a budding friendship with their new roommate, _Remus Lupin._   There’s just something about the quiet, peaceful boy that Sirius truly appreciates, something about his aura seems warm and welcoming.

However, Sirius couldn’t say the same of their other roommate, _Peter Pettigrew._   He just couldn’t wrap his head around the feeling of nuisance he gets whenever that mousy-looking oddball comes around him and James.  But neither James nor Remus seems to mind Peter’s presence amongst them, so Sirius just let it be, especially since he isn’t of the mindset to ponder too long on a single thought if it doesn’t truly spark any great interest in him.  Though Sirius admits that he does find it a bit irksome and nauseating the way the blond seems to cling onto James’ shadow, much like he’s doing now…

He and James are in the Great Hall for an early breakfast because they figure they can use their free time afterward to scout out the castle and explore its crevices.  They left Remus still asleep, but little Peter decides he would like to tag along with them if it isn’t too much of a bother to Sirius’ displeasure.  James doesn’t seem to mind and so, Sirius doesn’t push for otherwise either.  Now here they are sitting at the long, seemingly never-ending table of Gryffindor for the breakfast banquet, with Sirius and Peter on either side of James.  The nervous boy tries to strike up a conversation with them, but Sirius doesn’t really pay him any mind.  James, on the other hand, answers his trifle questions every now and then, but his attention seems lacking as well.

“James,” Sirius begins quietly as his smoky-gray orbs follow the direction of his best mate’s gaze, which just so happens to fall on a rather familiar first-year Slytherin student sitting across the Great Hall at the Slytherin table, _“See something interesting?”_

James Potter doesn’t look away from Severus Snape for even a moment as he replies just as quietly, almost sneering, “Don’t you, Sirius? Can you believe the grotesque little bugger got sorted into Slytherin? I thought for sure with the great tomes he reads and carries around, the Sorting Hat would have no choice but to sort him with the rest of the Ravenclaws. What a waste.”  There’s a tinge of anger swallowed up by sheer bewilderment in his steady voice as James speaks, but of course, he doesn’t notice it.  And neither does Sirius.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I think he’s exactly where he belongs, slimy git, that one.  Serves him right if you ask me. Maybe the rest of the snakes will swallow him whole,” Sirius continues with a petulant huff and a roll of his eyes.  And then he turns to James with a blatant, mischievous grin plastered on his handsome face and asks, with really no room for refusal, “Perhaps, we should teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget, how about it?”

James Potter merely smiles a self-satisfying smirk.  Sometimes, his best mate just has a way of saying aloud exactly what he’s feeling and thinking; perhaps the Black heir’s truly a telepathist, after all, he has always wondered about that.  Without even answering Sirius, James gets up and starts walking in the direction of the lonely Slytherin student across the grand hall.  He doesn’t need to look back to see if his best mate if following him or not, because he knows Sirius Black well enough to know that he’s still at the Gryffindor table biding his time, waiting to pounce on the frightened snake before he tries to slither away.  Don’t get him wrong, he knows well enough his best mate’s never the patient kind, but he’s Slytherin enough to plan and wait for what he truly wants.  And right now, they both want the same thing; a cornered prey.

Sirius chooses to ignore Peter’s babbling about James’ departure from their table. Instead, he looks on with keen interest as the brunet stalks over to the Slytherin table and makes himself comfortable besides an uneasy Severus Snape. He smiles with unadulterated joy and satisfaction at the look of absolute menace on the git’s rage. He feels in his heart a gleeful rush of energy as the other raven glares dagger straight at his best mate as James rather lazily pulls the other’s half-eaten tray of food away from him and towards himself. Sirius snickers at his mate’s childish antics, he’s a hungry growing boy after all.

At the other end of the Great Hall, a rather perturbed and angry Severus Snape is hissing through clenched teeth at the easy-going Potter,  _“What do you want, Potter?”_   Of course, James only continues to eat smugly from the stolen plate of food, and through a mouthful of savory French toasts, he asks instead,  _“What is it you think I want, Slytherus?”_

_Cheeky fucking prick._

At Potter’s rather vague and degradative response, it doesn’t take Severus very long to gather his belongings and storm out of the Great Hall, his aura of absolute rage flaring about him as he makes his exit. And not too far behind him, he doesn’t notice a rather smooth stalker trailing after him.


	5. The Price of Magic

James Potter doesn't understand what it is about the little serpent that gets under his skin, he just knows that the black-haired Slytherin is a nuisance to his existence. He watches as the other boy storms out of the Great Hall, Sirius hot on his heels. It's a part of the plan – rile him up and then corner him until he has nowhere left to go! He follows his best mate and their escaping prey outside of the grand hall and into its corridors. In few but great strides, he catches up to Sirius as the smoky-eyed raven corners the younger raven near an alcove going downstairs.  _Little snake's probably heading to the library._

 _"Where do you think you are going, Snape?"_ James demands as Sirius grabs a hold of the younger boy's thin, slender wrist from behind, effectively stopping him in his tracks,  _"I am not nearly done with you."_

Severus doesn't even flinch away at the unwanted contact. Over the past year, he's gotten used to his father's abusive treatment of him to know that if he reacts in any cowering manner, the punishments are always twice as severe. In moments like these, he learns it's always best to remain calm and collected to prevent further escalation of a potential caustic situation. He need not cower in fear and panic because neither of these dunderheads is Tobias Snape  _– they couldn't hurt him the same way his father could; not without the presence of his beloved mother at their mercy anyway. She's his weakness, always have been._

 _"If you haven't anything meaningful to say to me Potter, you best be on your way,"_ he scoffs, shooting a challenging look at Potter, his onyx orbs weary of the brunet as he advances, closing the distance between them. To allow some distance to grow between them, Severus turns abruptly around but instead comes face to face with the Black heir seizing hold of his rather delicate wrist. Alert at the sudden closeness, he hisses through cream-colored teeth, "And you _, Black,_  what do you want  _now?_ "

_"Why, I have been wanting to find out who the true coward amongst us really is, or have you forgotten already Slytherin scum?"_

Severus merely glares at him but continues standing his ground,  _"I hardly see how two against one is fair game, not very Gryffindor of either you or Potter, is it?"_

At his very mentioning of Potter, he feels the stab of a wand's tip at the junction of his neck and tries his best not to flinch…or panic.  _He mustn't panic, not now, not ever._  They couldn't hurt him, not like his father could hurt him at his mother's expense. His father has traumatized him – yes, there's no doubt about it – but he has never cared about his own wellbeing – only his beloved mother's safety. And he's become stronger because of it. The pair of them are just fleas in his eyes. He could handle them,  _or so he thinks…_

 _"It isn't. If I do say so myself,"_ he feels Potter's warm breath against his earlobe, whispering to him as if it's a dirty little secret between the two of them, but loud enough for Black's ears as well. His nonchalant voice resounds with finality,  _"But I will be the judge of what is or isn't a fair game here."_

 _Severus isn't shaken…he most definitely isn't._ It's just the ground around him shaking, it must be – he won't cower, not in front of them.  _He mustn't._ Not even as he feels the stabbing of the wand's tip digging into his back as it traces over the length of his spine.

 _"What's the matter, little git? Cat got your tongue?"_  He hears the taunting amusement in Black's voice as he tries to reach with his free hand for his pocketed wand, only to have that hand seized as well – this time by Potter as he twists it back behind his back.

 _"Now I wouldn't do that if I were you,"_ Severus hears the smugness in both their voices as they say this in unison, they are much too close for his comfort and he finds himself sandwiched in-between the two larger boys. He doesn't like this feeling of entrapment, he cannot stand it…cannot stand the claustrophobic feeling bubbling up inside of him. But he mustn't become overwhelmed by it, he mustn't if he wants to survive his years ahead at Hogwarts. This place is supposed to be his sanctuary away from all the torture and torment in his life.

 _'They are not my father'_ he hurriedly thinks, trying to pacify his wracked nerves, _'I have nothing to be afraid of here.'_

 _"Leave me be, I haven't got the time of the day for either you or Potter,"_  his hiss in face of Black, the stern roughness in his voice belying the absolute terror he's feeling at being this close to his two tormentors. He's never liked confined spaces, not at all –  _not after his father would lock him away under whichever secret compartment under the floorboards inside their home as punishment for his disobedience._  Severus refuses to tremble in their unrelenting hands, the expression on his face vacant as he says in a rather bored monotone, "Now if you will kindly get your filthy hands off me, I have more important matters to attend to than to bestow my glorious presence on dimwits."

_He doesn't care if he's goading them._

Both Potter and Black scoff at the sheer arrogance they hear within his words.  _Why this insolent little dwarf…_ They choose not to rise to the bait though. Instead, they remain calm and focus on their reason for being here in the first place.

 _"Not going to happen,"_ Potter's rather callous voice in his ear contradicts the warmth of the other's breath tickling his sensitive ear,  _"We are here to teach you a lesson, or did you forget already?"_  As if on cue, Severus feels the hard press of a second wand's tip on his person, only this time at the surface of his chest right above his rapidly beating heart. Severus pushes down the immediate fear rising in him yet again, refusing to back down at the smug look on Black's face – and though he couldn't exactly see Potter's face, he knows it most likely mirrors Black's own. _Pair of smug bastards, aren't they?_

As if in practiced unison, the pair of Gryffindor boys scoff at their captive's nonchalant brave front, the richness of their voices full of dark humorless laughter as they proceed in their torment of him, "Consider this your first lesson of the day, Snape. _**Stupefy**._"

Two things happen at once; the luminous lights of Potter and Black's wands shine brightly as they hit their intended target, only to rebound back mere seconds later against their original casters at Severus' _wandless_ "Protego."

 _"_ Surely any competent wizard knows a simple  _Protego."_

The flabbergasted, baffled looks on their twin stunned faces say it all as they land sprawled out on their backs away from Severus. The two Gryffindors are frozen in place – from head to toes – due to their rebounded stunning charm. Fortunately for them, they aren't knocked out cold and unconscious due to the weakened state of the casted spell. Neither Gryffindor boys are skilled enough at channeling and controlling their magic at their age – not as Severus can do anyway.

_Neither Gryffindor boys have Tobias Snape as their father. Neither of them has ever been at Tobias's mercy, and neither has ever experienced Tobias' unconditional love - at one point - for his beloved son._

After one final glance at the two of them, Severus turns away from their stunned, sprawled-out forms and continues on his merry way to the library.  _That should teach them a lesson._

The truth of the story is that Severus has only begun learning wandless magic because  _sometimes_  his father just tends to snap his wand in half during cold fits of murderous rage. And in tormenting Severus he always gives him one of two options; either  _the wand's in his hand_ or _his father's –_ figuratively speaking _._ And it's always more merciful when it's in Severus' hand because he's significantly less powerful and less skillful than his muggle-born father.

_Thus, Eileen Snape is Severus' only true weakness._

Nevertheless, it seems Severus would need to perfect his usage of wandless magic if he's to survive the duration of his studies at Hogwarts. He couldn't afford to have his bullies catch him off guard and nigh defenseless again; for it's only by sheer luck that his  _wandless Protego_  actually worked. Severus hasn't gotten in much practice at wandless magic – because the practice of magic in the Snape household only occurs at his father's leisure; and furthermore, he and his mother are usually at his father's mercy in those moments. And, it isn't the kind of practice he longs for either. Moreover, Severus can't practice any kind of magic unsupervised and so, he doesn't risk getting caught because Tobias has erected a magical barrier around the Snape household which would alert him of any use of magic.

Here at Hogwarts, however, Severus is free to practice to his heart's content without the risk of being punished; he's free of Tobias Snape and that's all that matters to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and reviewing! It means a lot and gives me the motivation to work more often on this!
> 
> Personally, I feel that Muggle-born wizards are the children of Squibs, who either become disowned by their family or left the wizarding world of their own free will. In this fanfic, this is the case for Tobias Snape, and if it's still unclear, Tobias suffers from "Dissociative Identity Disorder." The kind, loving Tobias is still inside of him, but he's deeply repressed...I'll come up with a backstory for that later!
> 
> Also, I think I shall be skipping ahead to their third-year next chapter. Just wanted to give you guys a glimpse into Severus's first year at Hogwarts. Also, sure there will always be a lot of bullying from all sides in regard to Severus. But I think it makes him stronger. And he's pretty much an arsenal if you ask me because I've read the following:
> 
> "Snape knew more curses when he arrived at Hogwarts than half the kids in seventh year."  
> —Snape's proficiency for the Dark Arts
> 
> And I really want to make this (the above) possible in this fanfic!


	6. The Lesser of Two Evils

**_Timeline:  Marauders' Third Year_**

**_(Mid-November 1973)_ **

 

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy,  _born to Magdalena Eileen Prince and Abraxas Scorpius Malfoy on November 9_ _, 1957,_  is presently a fifth-year student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And being that he's just reached sixteen years of age nearly a week ago on November 9 _, 1973_  could only mean one thing for him; he's come into his secondary gender inheritance – otherwise known as the Alpha-Omega-Beta inheritance – a natural wizarding phenomenon occurring only when a witch or wizard reaches maturity at age sixteen, usually by their fifth year at Hogwarts. Furthermore, even before presenting as an alpha, Lucius knows that he couldn't possibly become anything other than an alpha for two reasons.

 _The first reason_  is due to the nature of Lucius' family, nearly all the members born of the Malfoy lineage are alphas, especially its male descendants. There is, however, a small number of betas born into the Malfoy bloodline and even rarer, a smaller number of omegas – nearly all the omegas within the Malfoy family marry into it. This characteristic  _– where mostly alphas are born to the Malfoy bloodline –_  is a rarity in and of itself because only an essential twenty percent of the population in the wizarding society makes up alphas, while a solid seventy percent are betas, and the remaining ten percent belongs to the omegas.

 _The second reason_ being a bit more complicated, but just as predictable. Because even before presenting, there are subtle signs in one's behavior alluding to what one's secondary gender would be. And in Lucius' case, he has shown early signs of dominance, slight aggression, and equal levelheadedness; three traits – among many others – commonly present in alphas. Of course, these behaviors vary from individual to individual, since no two alphas are exactly alike, but their natures are very similar. For instance, the nature of female alphas is significantly more subtle and less volatile than their male counterparts – the same nature applies to the counterparts of betas and omegas.

Moreover, alphas are generally at the very top of the hierarchy in the wizarding world, oftentimes holding high aristocratic positions due to their dominant and pioneering natures. Naturally, betas follow under them in that hierarchal order, and they usually serve as an assisting hand as is within their nature. And being at the utmost bottom of wizarding society, omegas are subservient to both alphas and betas; though, they are the most valuable of the three classes due to their scarcity, as well as, their  _usually_  submissive and docile natures and rare natural magical abilities. For instance, unlike alpha and beta males,  _some omega males_  can become pregnant and give birth to offspring.

Additionally, in terms of the natural laws of attractions and sexuality governing them, the alphas can mate and bond with betas and omegas, but never with other alphas; whereas, the betas can form unions with other betas, as well as, with alphas and omegas. But the omegas, on the other hand, can only mate and bond with alphas and never with other omegas or betas because it isn't within their nature.

Furthermore, with the inheritance of Lucius' secondary gender comes the existence of his soul mark. Once witches and wizards present their secondary genders, a soul mark appears, which essentially connects them to their soulmates. The two soul mates possess the exact same soul mark on their bodies – either on the exact place or elsewhere. Generally, most witches and wizards bear only a single soul mark on their bodies, but in very rare cases, there are a few occurrences wherein a witch or a wizard bear more than one soul marks on his or her person, identifying more than a single soulmate. Oftentimes, however, until all parties become of maturity at age sixteen and come into their secondary gender inheritance, they will remain clueless and incapable of sensing their respective soulmate or soulmates' existence. But there are some cases wherein beings, who already possess their soul marks can begin sensing their soulmates even before their predestined mates come into their own inheritance.

The soul mark, which appears as beautiful and enticing in its intricacy, on Lucius' lower back encircling his hips couldn't become any more befitting to the heir of the House of Malfoy. Its form is similar to his family's insignia; beginning with a green and black shield along the very bottom of his lower back, followed by the pointy tips of beautifully curved arrows shooting at opposing sides of the intricate shield. One such arrow curves along the length of his spine, in-between his shoulder blades, and just shy of the nape of his neck. At his hips, two dragon-serpents' tails curve sinfully along the delicate sides coming to erect the length of their bodies along either end of the great shield. It really couldn't become any more befitting of him – or  _Slytherin_  for that matter. It suits him perfectly.

However, Lucius Malfoy couldn't sense the magical pull of his soulmate's soul mark against his own, which generally comes with inheriting one's own soul mark – not even the slightest tremor or any sort of vibration whatsoever. But Lucius isn't too concerned about such an insignificant trifle as finding one's soulmate. Besides, it isn't at all unnatural to not feel the immediate tug of one's other half because it could just mean that his predestined mate isn't yet born – or most likely, hasn't yet become of the rightful age to inherit their own soul mark. Either case is quite plausible, but Lucius Malfoy could care for neither – not when he has his hard, aching cock burrowing balls-deep into the tight warmth of some insignificant seventh-year Slytherin girl's cunt.

Any thoughts of his potential soulmate leave his mind now that he's literally fucking his newest conquest senseless. The Slytherin cunt deserves every inch of his pulsating rock-hard cock pumping two balls full of liquid ecstasy into its vacuum-like blackhole. He's cumming so hard into the tight constraints of the wench's womb that he cannot help the self-satisfied smirk coming to rest lazily on his handsome face. The Slytherin whore's literally begging for his hard cock with all her cooing; her loud whimpering voice's practically bouncing off the walls of the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor of Hogwarts castle. It's a wonder no one has come barging in on them yet, but then he remembers the walls are soundproof and the only way another person could walk in on them would be by mere chance.

Not too long ago while out patrolling on his prefect's duty, he happens upon the Slytherin girl wandering along the corridors of the fifth floor out past her curfew. Instead of deducting points from his own house for her wayward behavior, however, Lucius figures punishing her with his meat stick would be a better alternative – his cock's always starved and eager for attention anyway; but the whore seems to be enjoying every second of her punishment to the max – he can tell just from the way she's shoving her arse back to meet each and every one of his powerful thrusts, trying to milk his cock dry.  _At least she's good for something._

Too busy pounding away into the wanton little whore beneath him, Lucius doesn't hear the  _'creak'_  from the door opening – over the loud sounds of his animalistic fucking – not until it's too late anyway. It's only then that he turns his face away from the spectacular view of the little minx bent over and attached to his dick to look inquisitively over at the small, delicate-looking boy who has just entered the prefects' bathroom;  _his mother's other son_  – but only Lucius is aware of this fact, the other seems clueless as ever. Lucius notices the brief look of embarrassment and hot shame burning on the intruder's face as he hurriedly turns on his heels to leave just as quickly as he entered. But before he can make it to the other side of the door Lucius calls out to him, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

"Where do you think you are off to so soon, Severus.  _Come here._ "

By the coarseness of Lucius' nigh threatening tone, Severus knows his words are  _a clear order_  leaving no room for questions. And so, it's only with great reluctance Severus remains where he's standing, a mere step away from exiting the prefects' bathroom – his stony-faced expression returning immediately.

Lucius  _doesn't look away_ from the nonchalant boy for an instant, not even as he pulls away completely from the wench beneath him, the great length of his gloriously rigid – still pulsating – cock slipping out of the girl's gaping orifice. As he feels the girth of his cock leaving the fuck-hole, he ignores the thick flow of his semen gushing out from her cream-pied pussy, as well as, the loss of its warmth. He already misses its heated clenching walls but has much more pressing matters at hand now. Almost lazily, he picks up his precious wand lying just out of arm's reach and traces its wooden tip down the length of the girl's back until it becomes leveled a short distance away from the entrance of the Slytherin girl's cum-soaked cunt.

 _"Tergeo,"_  he utters impassively, watching the tip of his wooden wand light up at his command. Almost instantly, a magically enchanted cursive flow of his semen comes pouring out from the girl's cunt before simply vanishing into thin air. Lucius Malfoy has neither desire nor intention of siring some whore's child. Furthermore, it isn't on his agenda to taint his pureblood family's reputation with news of some irrelevant scandal, which occurs in his pastime. Once he's certain there isn't a single drop left of his cum inside her gaping hole, he dismisses her, " _Leave us, your service here is no longer required."_

Lucius doesn't even look at her retreating form as she leaves his presence. Instead, all this time his eyes never left the indifferent gaze of his younger half-brother,  _Severus Snape._  With a crooked finger, Lucius beckons  ** _the third-year Slytherin boy_**  closer, his keen gray orbs issuing a challenge daring the boy to defy him. At the same time, Lucius notices the articles of clothing the boy's clutching at his chest and he raises a skeptical ivory brow in question. And after realizing that the younger Slytherin hasn't budged even an inch from his spot, he drawls in a commanding voice,  _almost hissing_ but not quite.

_"Come here, Severus. I won't say it again."_

_The ten-year-old Severus Snape_  could only nod before he begins walking in the blond's direction. Although Severus tries his best to remain calm and collected, he's still extremely wary of Lucius Malfoy. Nearly all the students of Hogwarts are, and those who aren't are just fools – plain and simple. But he is no fool, not like the others anyway. And so, he listens to his instinct, the ones that are always constantly telling him to be careful in Malfoy's presence. And without doubts, he would continue heeding the voices in his head. Upon reaching the end of the bath, he comes to a halt standing just above Lucius – towering over him.

"Well, get undressed. It is what you come here for, isn't it?" Lucius inquires looking up at the smaller boy in front of him. Of course, he already knows it couldn't be for any other reason but still, he couldn't resist the urge to taunt him,  _"Come down here and let me see you."_

Severus  _almost_  scoffs at him as he begins to peel off the layers of clothes from his body, revealing inch by inch the pale snow-white skin underneath. He's still a growing boy, lithe and somewhat malnourished – there is neither a gram of excess fat nor any semblance of muscles on him. And he's slightly small for his age – even thinner and scrawnier than most of the first-year students.

But he's beautiful with his dark raven hair and midnight black orbs. It's a magnificent contrast against his almost silvery-pale skin, like an enchanted being. And his usually scowling lips resemble the ingrained red of a sweet ripened apple – he's the spitting image of his beloved mother – marred by only his father's slightly large Roman nose, which looks seemingly out of place on his delicate aristocratic face. But in due time he would grow into it and make it his own.

It is Lucius' first time ever seeing Severus' naked form and his erection twitches slightly in response to it. But _he ignores it_  in favor of trying to coax the slightly trembling boy to come beside him. He realizes Severus Snape is like a frightened wild animal – he needs to handle him with tender care if he's ever going to tame him – and _Lucius Malfoy intends to tame him._

Of course, the rest of their schoolmates doesn't seem to share his insights. Over the past two and a half years, they are always starting something or the other with his half-brother, always trying to hex or jinx him into oblivion; especially those four insolent mudblood-loving Gryffindors. Sometimes they succeed in their attempts and sometimes Severus hands them their arses when they don't catch him off guard.

Lucius watches the younger Slytherin boy with keen observant eyes as he bends over, reaching forward to place his neat dry bundle of folded clothes out of the water's reach. Sure, it wouldn't be too much of a problem if they do become wet, but he would rather preserve his magical energy for when he needs it. For instance, later tonight Severus would definitely need most of his energy to erect a continuous magical barrier to keep his roommates out of his personal space. The three of them,  _Avery, Wilkes, and Mulciber_  are getting more bold and menacing in their torments; he couldn't afford to let his guard down around them at any time; it's for this reason alone he finds himself in the prefects' bathroom at this ungodly hour of the night chancing detention or any unwanted trouble… _such as Lucius fucking Malfoy._

As a result of using up most of his magical energy at night trying to shield himself at his most vulnerable, however, Severus suffers the consequences during the day at the hands of those dastardly bastards. The cowards couldn't even face him one at a time, they always see to it that they corner him when it's at least three of them at once. That's hardly a fair duel. He can hold off one or two of them on his own simultaneously but the moment a third menace – usually  _fucking Pettigrew_  – steps into the fight, he finds himself on the losing end of things. But there are times when he does fare well against all four of them, especially now that he begins improving in his usage of wandless magic. The looks of surprise and anger of their faces are always brilliant and Severus relishes in putting them there.

Severus straightens himself from his bent position before he bends forward anew to climb into the pool-like bathtub, settling a few paces away from Lucius but still within proper talking distance. He doesn't want to offend the older boy, especially not with the power he seems to exercise over most of the student body at Hogwarts, especially those belonging to the House of Slytherin. Severus isn't a fool and knows a perfect enemy when he sees one. But at the same time, he is neither a coward nor a doormat to be walked all over, he could stand his ground if needs be; it would be a lot more strenuous, however, defending himself against a fifth-year perfect, especially one as influential as Lucius Malfoy. Furthermore, he's aware of the fact that he has no right being out past his curfew or being anywhere near the prefects' bathroom for that matter.

 _"Perhaps if you appease me I will not punish you as severely for your impudence,"_  the blond states brusquely, gazing straight into the younger Slytherin's dark pitch-black orbs as if having read his thoughts. And with a curious edge to his deepening voice, Lucius inquires,  _"Tell me Severus, whom do you take after in appearance? Your father or mother."_

Not surprisingly Severus startles and unchecked bewilderment shines briefly in his dark orbs at the other's rather unexpected question.  _What business is his appearance to Lucius anyway? Whether he looks like his mother or father isn't anyone's business but his own._  Nevertheless, coming out of his rather short-lived stupor, he answers truthfully with a ghost of a smile on his face at the thought of his beloved mother.

_"Perhaps, my mother."_

Of course, Lucius already knows what his blood-traitor whore of a mother looks like from an old photograph he finds during his early childhood. The wretched woman – _Magdalena Eileen Prince-Malfoy_ , or simply  _Magdalena Malfoy_  during her marriage to his father and before her treasonous act to the Malfoy family – deserts her family just shortly after giving birth to her first child,  _Lucius Malfoy II_. It is one of the most scandalous events to ever wrack the wizarding world and both great families – the Malfoy and Prince – still feel great sweltering shame at her traitorous actions. After abandoning her family, neither side could find even a single trace of her for a long time – not until four years later anyway, and under the name of  _Eileen Snape_  and pregnant with some filthy muggle's child.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that her existence on either the Malfoy's family or the Prince's family trees has been erased. Furthermore, no one on either side of her family dares speak of her presence for fear of the repercussions. It's by sheer chance alone that a younger, more curious Lucius Malfoy finds a moving photograph of her while he's sorting through some of his father's old personal belongings to keep him better organized. That's the first time he's ever gotten a glimpse of the mother he longs for but could never have and all because the muggle-loving whore chooses to desert him in his infancy. And so, Lucius grows up without ever knowing the love of a mother – he only knows the stern guidance of his callous father. More than anything in the world, he hates ' _Eileen Snape'_ and he loathes her fucking  _half-blood_  son.

He's jealous of Severus – terribly jealous. And he hates the very existence of the boy for what it means. It means that  _the fucking blood-traitor whore chooses Snape over him_. At this thought, his anger for the boy renews, but then he remembers that he's a frightened little wild thing – and that if he wishes to tame him he needs to banish his anger to the back of his mind. He needs to remain calm and composed, especially with this skittish  _half-blood brother_  of his – he shudders in disgust wondering, ' _How in Merlin's name could I possibly be related to a fucking half-blood scum?'_

Lucius pushes down his anger to the lowest pits of his being as he reaches over to grasp a handful of the younger boy's delicate face. The warm skin under his fingertips feel so soft and pleasant to the touch, he could relish in them forever. At the strange but delightful sensations he's experiencing inside his chest he hums almost pleasantly, "I have always dreamed about what it would feel like to cum on  _our wretched whore of a mother's face,_ but now I can  _almost_  experience the real deal."

Severus jerks away at the blond's suddenly cold words.  _What the fuck is he talking about…our mother? What utter nonsense…._  He tries to create further space between their bodies, but the blond's already on him before he can do anything more. Lucius has him pressed face-first into a wall of the bathtub and with dangling feet, Severus struggles to stay afloat in the depths of the pool. Lucius, on the other hand, has no problem staying afloat, especially not with the use of a charm, which keeps him from drowning. He has nothing to worry about as he presses his raging hard cock in-between Severus' pert arse cheeks, thrusting up along the perineum but never breaching the virgin entrance.

 _"I have much to tell you about our mother, Severus,"_  he speaks almost kindly into the younger's ear, his hot breath coming out in somewhat excited little puffs against it – tickling it,  _"About what a little muggle-loving cunt she really is, just like you I suppose."_

"Do not think for a moment I do not see you with that mud-blood whore of yours either, Evans or whatever is her name," he hoists a struggling Severus Snape up over his shoulder and using his magical energy to stabilize himself, he literally walks out of the pool-like bathtub and onto its stone porcelain steps where he deposits the still struggling boy. He raises an elegant brow at the third-year student below him before stating in a monotone, "You are no better than that bloody whore you call mother. But since  _I am your older half-brother,_  I will offer you my protection while I finish my studies at Hogwarts under one condition."

 _"I will fuck you whenever and wherever I want, for however long I want,"_ Lucius pledges, his stormy gray orbs peering into pitch-black ones, conveying his dark promise to the uneasy, reluctant boy, "Either I will, or  _they_  will. You can choose for yourself little Slytherin _who you want to fuck you_ , I know you have the means."

Severus understands who  _the "they"_  Lucius is referring to are, but what he doesn't understand is  _why_  he's saying they are  _half-brothers, why they share the same mother._

 _"Why what? Why I want to fuck you?"_ the blond demands snidely. Severus must have thought out loud just now because the smirk tugging on Lucius' lips says it all, "Because as deranged an idea it is, I would love to see the look on that wretched wench's face as I fuck her brains out and you are the closest reality I can pursue."

 _"Well, I do not accept your condition, Malfoy. You can go fuck yourself,"_  Severus dares to decline Lucius' rather  _'generous'_  offer of protection against his tormentors as he tries to stand on his own two feet and he snickers as a thought comes across his mind,  _"And do reframe from claiming someone else's mother as your own, I imagine it's quite unbefitting of you as the heir of the Malfoy family."_  Severus begins to walk away from the blond but doesn't get too far as he feels his legs go numb as Malfoy casts a "jelly-legs jinx" at him –  _fucking arrogant pureblood twat!_

Severus collapses onto the porcelain steps face-first with his bare arse in the air; it's a view that Lucius appreciates very much, especially as he goes down on his knees in-between the boy's trembling jelly-like legs. ' _Good, he isn't going anywhere soon.'_ With this thought, he brings his hand down hard to strike mercilessly at the disobedient boy until the globes of his backside burn a dark crimson. He ignores the yelps that escape the younger Slytherin's mouth in favor of listening to his ragged breathing instead. His dick is excited again to make a touchdown, but he resists the urge – besides there's no way the entirety of his bulging cock would fit within the ten-year-old boy without proper preparation. And at the moment, he has the strange urge to eat his fill until his dick burst from the stimulation alone.

Thus, without further delay, he brings his face to level with the other's arse and eases his tongue into its warm cavern. He licks and slurps at the inviting hole, mercilessly thrusting his tongue in and out of it. It's so wet and slippery and delectable, and the whimpering moans escaping from the raven's tight-pressed lips are equally as delicious – music to his ear. The younger boy's behaving like a bitch in heat, thrusting his hips back to meet the forceful thrusts of the blond's tongue – Lucius wants to laugh at the irony,  _'Guess like mother like son, she was an omega bitch after all.'_  He then wonders if his half-brother would become an omega just like her, it would suit him just right. ' _Then he could bear all my half-blood children.'_  Lucius cringes at the sheer thought; no way would he ever sire any half-blood fucks. He would rather kill them in their mother's womb.

Meanwhile, Severus is trying his best to get a hold of himself, his jelly-legs completely useless and unable to keep himself up. It's by Lucius' grace that his arse is still positioned upward. The blond is grabbing a handful of either side of his hips and holding him up to his mouth like a bowl of hot soup to drink from – it paints an exotic and priceless picture. Severus feels like he's becoming mindless from the sensations of the plundering tongue inside of him and at just the thought of it he clenches him inner walls – he's really trying to catch his bearings, but the blond twat won't give him a moment to breathe peacefully. He soon feels the addition of two digits entering his anal channels at the same time and almost passes out from the immediate pain mixed with pleasure.

_"Do you accept my proposal?"_

Severus swears he can see stars at the smugness in the other's voice –  _'What am I a masochist?'_   Hearing no verbal wording of a response, Lucius presses his tongue and fingers as far as they would reach inside the boy,  _"Do you submit, you little half-blood whore."_ Severus has no idea how the fuck Lucius could form words with his tongue so far up his arse – when does he get the time to talk with his mouth full of arse?

Still hearing no suitable answers – moaning and keening don't count – the blond terror strikes the flesh of the younger boy's arse one last time, sending a tremor of painful pleasure straight to both their cocks. And Severus is left gasping an  _almost_   _faint "Y-yes"_  before he comes undone, shooting a few strings of cum onto the stone steps.

On the other hand, Lucius continues plundering the now gaping hole with his hungry tongue and fingers until he has his fill. Once he's satisfied with the result of his highly stimulated cock he raises up from his kneeling position and turns the boy over to lay directly upon his naked back – and with a few powerful strokes of his massive cock he comes magnificently, spraying thick whips of cum all over Severus' face, neck, and chest. A few stray sprays entangle with the mess of the boy's black tresses, but it makes him look all that much more desirable to gaze upon.

"Hmm…now that  _that's_  settled," Lucius drawls menacingly referring matter-of-factly to his offer of protection, "I will see to it that no Slytherin students interfere with you while I am here. And I will see what I can do about the rest of them from the other houses." He stares down at the beautifully cum covered boy and a smirk comes to his lips at the thought,  _'Perhaps, this is what our wretched whore of a mother would like soaked in my cum.'_    Lucius isn't even the slightest bit alarmed at his perverse thoughts, instead, they go straight to his cock looking down at his half-brother.

 _"In exchange, Severus, I want you at my beck and call," Lucius_ demands of the defiled boy, warning him of the dire consequences for disobedience, _"Should I have to come looking for you myself I will fuck you all that much harder."_

Severus shivers at the threat but understands that this option would be the lesser of two evils. If by letting this delusional sick fuck bugger him occasionally means he would not have to worry too much about his wellbeing and safety at Hogwarts, it's a sacrifice he's willing to make – but he's still confused as fuck on this whole ' _our mother'_ business. He doesn't even remember his beloved mother mentioning having any other family besides the Prince family, who disowns her because she chooses to love Tobias Snape and their child together.

_For this reason alone, he remains baffled and uncertain about his decision._


	7. Home Away from Home

* * *

**_Timeline: Marauders' Third Year_ **

**_(Late December 1973)_ **

 

It's already nearing the end of the third week in December and Severus cannot wait to return home to his mother, whom he hasn't seen since the start of term and misses dearly. Moreover, returning home this winter would allow him the chance to clear up the whole confusion that Malfoy has caused him. He would get to find out from his mother if what Malfoy said holds any truth.

After all, he has no idea whether to believe for a second the older Slytherin's words or not – that's why he needs confirmation. And who better to get it from other than the main source? With this purpose in mind, he's ready to go home, even if it means having to endure his father's unpredictable behavior once he gets there. Perhaps, his father's mental ailment has taken a turn for the better in his absence and he needn't worry about incurring his wrath?

On the other hand, since his encounter with the blond tyrant in the prefect's bathroom Severus has done a splendid job of evading one Lucius Malfoy – and for a period of five weeks no less! But what's even more surprising is that the blond tyrant did not recant his order of protection and Severus knows this because he can already feel the difference in the atmosphere at Hogwarts.

The bullying and torment he has endured at the beginning at the hands of his peers have significantly lessened – almost as if they never occurred. And surprisingly, Avery, Wilkes, and Mulcible haven't once tried ambushing him at night since his run-in with Malfoy.

Furthermore, even a greater number of students belonging to their rival houses have ceased their mistreatment of him. But of course, Malfoy couldn't influence the entirety of Hogwarts' miscreants, for there are still a handful of immature prats running wild who deemed themselves above the Malfoy scion's control and influence.

No matter what, Severus just couldn't get Potter and Black to let him be – it's like they live solely to make his life unbearably miserable. They're always stalking him, and that tag-along Pettigrew is always within their shadows too, snickering at Potter's or Black's mischievous antics and pranks.

Lupin's presence, on the other hand, is near non-existence within the group as if he doesn't quite belong there with those three utter fools. If he didn't hang around the other three gits as he usually does, Severus could see the other boy as an equal, perhaps even a friend.

But that isn't the reality of his world, and the truth of the matter is just as ugly as Lupin's lack of action. Perhaps it would have been better if he never existed if all he's ever going to be is a spectator. In all honesty, Severus despises him even more than he does the other three – at least they're honest in their animosity towards him.

And speaking of  _animosity_ , Evan Rosier has never been too welcoming of his presence since his first year here at Hogwarts. But lately, Rosier's malignant attention on him is something Severus would rather live without ever becoming acquainted with. Especially because he's on a whole another level than those uncouth Gryffindor dunderheads, Potter, Black, et al.

It seems that perhaps Lucius' warnings only served a purpose of provoking Rosier to do what he's warned against doing – and like an ill-mannered child who's been scolded to within an inch of his life and who has had his favorite toy taken away, Rosier's interest in Severus as a potential new toy has piqued tenfold.

 _As if dealing with Malfoy and those Gryffindor brutes aren't enough…._  Now, in addition to fending off jinxes and hexes from Gryffindor's most vicious perpetrators and evading Malfoy's grasp, Severus must also protect himself against Rosier and his unpredictably vile nature.

Fortunately for Severus, almost a month ago while he was outrunning a daunting group of older Slytherins boys (among them Rosier and the two Lestrange brothers), Severus accidentally stumbled into  _the Room of Requirements_  – as he would later learn of its name.

It's only because of this "Come and Go Room" that he's been able to evade Malfoy's and the rest of Hogwarts' clutches so efficiently since then. Admittedly, it took him quite some time to relocate the room within the castle since first encountering it. And it was no easy feat, but with his keen sense, sharp memory, and a lot of long hours spent in the restricted section of the library researching mystical rooms in Hogwarts, Severus eventually found its location within the castle.

Of course, it also helps that Severus remembers standing right across the hall from  _the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy_  before first disappearing into the room. And it's there _, the Room of Requirements,_ where he's now heading in pursuit of finding some peace and quiet away from the festive holiday season that's come upon Hogwarts.

It's too bad, however, that in his rush to get to his newfound sanctuary, the ever-observant Severus Snape fails to notice the shrouded, camouflaged presence of the fifth-year Malfoy heir trailing just behind him, barely three feet away.

Under the guise of the  _disillusionment charm_  (used to conceal an object or person), Lucius creeps stealthily along the creases of the wall, carefully watching his prey from the dark shadows. He doesn't make any sound as his gaze fixates itself on the small raven ahead of him. A single, fine, well-groomed brow arches questioningly as Lucius witnesses the boy _– seemingly lost in deep thought –_ pacing back and forth across from where he's hiding, blending in with _the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy_.

A few seconds pass by and suddenly a bright light engulfs the corridor before vanishing completely, leaving behind a large mahogany door in its wake.

Lucius' slightly taken aback with the looming presence of the door, but his face remains completely stoic, devoid of any emotion which may or may not reside within himself. Instead, he seems more concern with pursuing his prey before the elusive little snake slithers out of his grasp. And so, Lucius wastes not another moment, swiftly following the raven into his temporary haven.

The mahogany door of the secret chamber closes on its own as soon as Lucius steps within its confines. And immediately, he's quite disgusted at the sights that engulfs him. This room is unlike any other he's ever come upon throughout the duration of his stay at Hogwarts.

The room is much too small for his liking, with shallow cracks aligning the gray, stained walls. There's a tall, narrow, wooden door which seems to be the entrance to _, perhaps,_  a small closet, and adjacent to the supposed closet, stands an old worn-out desk with its complementary wooden chair, followed by a barred window on the other side of the desk.

Apart from the small desk and chair, no other furniture furnishes the small dingy room except for a scantily clad futon spread out on the ground. Even the smell of the old room is foul and pungent to Lucius' aristocratic nose.

Lucius subconsciously exhales, unable to retain holding his breath any longer in the stifling room. But at the faintest sound of his exhalation, the antsy raven in front of him whirls around on the balls of his feet, snarling,  _"Who's there?"_  at the empty space before him – wand in hand ready to cast off any intruders.

Except, Severus seems to be the sole occupant of the Room of Requirement, for there's no other person, whose presence he can detect in here with him. Despite this, Severus knows better than to let his guard down, even if it appears otherwise. And so, with dark wary eyes, he persists in scanning the periphery of the room, looking for any little thing out of place.

Upon reassuring himself that everything's alright and he's,  _indeed,_ the sole occupant of the room  _(which is an exact replicable of his own room in his parents' house on Spinner's End)_  Severus moves closer towards the chair sitting by the desk.

He carefully disrobes himself of his dark school robe and folds it neatly, draping it over the back of the chair. He inevitably brings his fingers to work the knot of his green and silver tie, slipping it from around his neck and laying it along the folds of his black robe. He then begins unfastening the buttons of his white dress shirt, being extremely careful not to tear at the already worn threads, for it's his beloved mother's handiwork and strips down to his bare undergarment. Severus drapes both articles of clothing along with his tie and robe.

Once he's done, Severus moves back in the direction of his strained futon on the ground, getting down his hands and knees to crawl under the warmth-enchanted linen of his make-shift bed.

This newfound sanctuary of his is his home away from home, and it's his alone – or so he believes.

Unfortunately for Severus, he's wrong in his assumption that he's the only one in the room and doesn't realize this grave mistake of letting down his guard until it's too late.

_"You let your guard down, Severus."_


End file.
